Do you LOVE the Rochester Public Market? Do you want to ensure that your community has access to affordable, healthy foods? Your generous support of the Friends of the Rochester Public Market supports local farmers and provides the opportunity for your neighbors to live healthy and meaningful lives.

Since 2005, the Friends of the Rochester Public Market have partnered with the City of Rochester to champion and steward the Market, an enduring source of community pride that thousands rely on for healthy, seasonal food. The Friends enhance the resources of the Market, through programs and services that benefit customers, vendors and the community.

Your donation goes to support our largest program: The Market Token Program. This vital service helps individuals who have Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamp benefits, purchase fresh fruits, vegetables and other healthy affordable foods available at the Market:

• In its 11th year, the Market Token Program is the largest program of its kind in the country.

• In 2018, 7,300 SNAP customers purchased $1,053,000 of fresh, healthy foods at the Market which directly support local farmers and other vendors.

• This program assists families in our community who would not traditionally be able to afford fresh foods, access the ingredients for healthy meals.

We also provide free educational programs at the Market:

• Volunteer lead tours for school groups and others highlight the history of the Market, the role of local farmers and entrepreneurs, and the importance of healthy eating.

• Healthy eating programs show market shoppers how to prepare fresh, local produce and delicious ways to eat healthy.

• Artist Row, an annual juried art show, highlights over 200 emerging and experienced artists from the region and draws a crowd of over 10,000 people to the Market.

Funding for the Friends of the Rochester Public Market programs comes primarily from donations, grants and revenue generated by the sale of Market-branded merchandise.

But we could be doing so much more for our neighbors! There are people in our community that we could be reaching, and we need your help to get there. Only YOU can help us bring expanded healthy food and educational programming to the City of Rochester in 2020.

Help us ROC the Day with a contribution to the Friends of the Rochester Public Market. Your generous donations support local initiatives and programs that strengthen our community and make Rochester a great place to live. We couldn’t do it without you.